It's not that hard to use Toyota antifreeze and tranny fluid, since they seem to be the most temperamental of all the car's fluids. Why even bother using any of the other stuff? What's the price difference, 2 bucks per year? I seem to remember Mean Gene telling us that the Toyota red stuff is actually Texaco, so maybe you can get away with the Texaco stuff, but that's about as far as I'd go.
Nice pics, ellwood.
808, once your fluid is flushed and the Toyota stuff put back in, you'll be fine. I can't believe that a Lexus dealer would do that to you. I would find another one that you can trust if you can.

I seem to remember Mean Gene telling us that the Toyota red stuff is actually Texaco, so maybe you can get away with the Texaco stuff, but that's about as far as I'd go.

People are confusing Toyota Long Life with Texaco Dexcool. They are not the same - not even the same color. Toyota Long Life is cherry red color, while Texaco Dexcool is Cool-Aid orange. The Dexcool should be used in post-1996 GM vehicles only. They have totally different formulations thus are not interchangeable.

People are confusing Toyota Long Life with Texaco Dexcool. They are not the same - not even the same color. Toyota Long Life is cherry red color, while Texaco Dexcool is Cool-Aid orange. The Dexcool should be used in post-1996 GM vehicles only. They have totally different formulations thus are not interchangeable.

It's not the Dexcool I was referring to , must be some other formulation. If my memory serves me, Mean Gene had worked for or with Texaco/Chevron and knew where Toyota is getting their fluid from.
Wait a minute....here's the actual thread! 2.5 years old, started by none other than PERRYInLA.https://www.clublexus.com/forums/sho...ifreeze+texaco

It's not the Dexcool I was referring to , must be some other formulation. If my memory serves me, Mean Gene had worked for or with Texaco/Chevron and knew where Toyota is getting their fluid from.
Wait a minute....here's the actual thread! 2.5 years old, started by none other than PERRYInLA.https://www.clublexus.com/forums/sho...ifreeze+texaco

It appears that Mean Gene was talking about lubricants (differential oil,) not coolant. His words below in blue italic:

Guyz - Texaco ( Texaco/Chevron ) makes the lubricants for Toyota/Lexus. Very common practice as Exxon/Mobil has made them for GM for years. Just go ask for a bottle of differential lube for your Toyota/Lexus & they'll had ya a Texaco bottle! .............

The actual maker of the Toyota coolant is irrelevant. My point was that the Toyota Long Life coolant is different from the Texaco Dexcool, which some people are confused about.

DexCool orange:
Although DexCool is a performance rating, the actual products contain organic
acid inhibitors, in all cases 2-EHA. Texaco also uses sebacate and Prestone also uses sodium neodecanoate, both organic acids. Valvoline’s Zerex also uses molybdate (not an organic acid). All three use still other inhibitors. DexCools contain no silicates, no phosphates, no benzoate.

Conventional Japanese deep-green and Toyota red:
They contain no silicates, but use phosphate for fast-acting protection, benzoate and other
inhibitors.

Extended life Japanese deep-green and Toyota pink:
They’re organic acid coolants, relying on sebacate but Toyota also said they need phosphate for fast action, and other inhibitors but no 2-EHA. When splattered, it does produce a rather ugly look. Although mostly harmless, you should keep it off body paint.

Conventional Japanese deep-green and Toyota red:
They contain no silicates, but use phosphate for fact-acting protection, benzoate and other
inhibitors.

Extended life Japanese deep-green and Toyota pink:
They’re organic acid coolants, relying on sebacate but Toyota also said they need phosphate for fast action, and other inhibitors but no 2-EHA. When splattered, it does produce a rather ugly look. Although mostly harmless, you should keep it off body paint.

csaxon, I currently use Toyota red (long life) coolant in my 01 ES, but was seriously considering switching to the Toyota Pink (Super Long Life) stuff. Is it safe to do so withgout any complications? (some say they are pretty much the same thing). I know that all Lexus vehicles now come factory equipped with the pink stuff. Any help one way or the other is appreciated.

It's not that hard to use Toyota antifreeze and tranny fluid, since they seem to be the most temperamental of all the car's fluids. Why even bother using any of the other stuff? What's the price difference, 2 bucks per year? Jerry.

like Jerry said, why bicker over a few bucks, just use the Toyo fluids and don't worry about it.

Lexusfreak, Your cars cooling system parts (seals, water pump bearings, radiator fins etc.) are coated by the inhibitors in the antifreeze. The red long life inhibitors last about 4 years 50,000 miles. The pink stuff uses an organic inhibitor that is different than the red antifreeze and is supposed to last 100,000 miles. It's not recommended to mix them before doing a complete flush of the system. It won't harm the car to switch but it's expensive. A gallon of pink is really half water and half antifreeeze. The red is 100% antifreeze. The pink uses organic inhibitors with phosphate. The red is a non-organic animal with phosphates. They're not the same. The choice is yours, but I would stick with the factory red and flush it at least every 4 years.

In early Toyotas, which include my 1993 SC300, the manual says to only use ethylene glycol antifreeze. I've been using the regular green stuff in my car for many years now. I do regular maintenance which means a drain and fill every year with a flush every 2 years and only use distilled water for both flush and fill. I just had my water pump changed since I was doing the timing belt. After 12 years, the pump, thermostat and hoses were pristine. Not a single sign of corrosion or deposits. Where the original Toyota red was used, the regular green stuff is fine. I agree do not use dex-cool type coolant in our cars.

Agreed. From what I have heard too.....it's a good idea to stay away from Dex-cool as well.

Had nothing but nightmares with Dex-Cool, now i have almost all the cars in the family on Zerex G-05, since the parent's Mercedes calls for G-05, and i HATE green or orange coolant with a passion. Now the new Prestone and Wal-Mart coolant is bascially Dex-Cool dyed green.

Lexusfreak, Your cars cooling system parts (seals, water pump bearings, radiator fins etc.) are coated by the inhibitors in the antifreeze. The red long life inhibitors last about 4 years 50,000 miles. The pink stuff uses an organic inhibitor that is different than the red antifreeze and is supposed to last 100,000 miles. It's not recommended to mix them before doing a complete flush of the system. It won't harm the car to switch but it's expensive. A gallon of pink is really half water and half antifreeeze. The red is 100% antifreeze. The pink uses organic inhibitors with phosphate. The red is a non-organic animal with phosphates. They're not the same. The choice is yours, but I would stick with the factory red and flush it at least every 4 years.

Thanks for the info csa. It's funny, the jug of Toyota Red coolant that I have says it's good for 2 years or 30,000 miles, not 4 years When the time comes, I was planning to do a 100% coolant flush & switch to the Pink Toyota fluid (I like the fact it lasts longer & is already 'pre-mixed. As long as I get all the old Toyota Red coolant out, I shouldn't have any problems down the road or am I taking a risk ?(I have OCD when it comes to using the very best fluids available for my car lol.......that's why I am asking. )